


The Wolf's Harvest

by Ubiquitous_Chaos (Chameowmile)



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Brothel AU, Gen, Halloween, Harvest Festival, but things will get better soon, kevin is a sweet mistreated child who just needs love, parlor!vale - Freeform, parlorvale, this is a bittersweet installment to the Parlorvale Universe, warning for stockholm syndrome between SG and Kevin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 01:22:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5111204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chameowmile/pseuds/Ubiquitous_Chaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Kevin's first Harvest Festival away from the DB parlor, but perhaps he's not so free from its influence after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wolf's Harvest

**Author's Note:**

> (Warning for the referenced Stockholm syndrome between SG and Kevin.)
> 
> Art of their costumes will be added later

 

-Earl-

            While this little town isn’t known for a-lot – No special dives, or celebrities – there is one thing it does better than even the city.

            The harvest festival. An event definitely on par with the city’s but not equal. Costumes, sweets, and street vending, just like any festival, but different in the sense that it’s _much_  more elegant. The costumes are high-quality and complex, the food made from the fresh harvest haul, and the treats frequently made in public venues with giant cauldrons, cream and sugar.

            It’s from one such vendor that Earl comes bearing gifts for his companions in the parlor, with the money Marcus gave him the night before.

            It’s not often that sweets can be purchased around here, so he tries to take advantage of it when he can.

            “You’re not allergic to anything, are you?” He murmurs quietly, causing Kevin, daydreaming, to jolt in surprise, indicating he’d probably been looking out the window, and not at Earl.

            “What?!”  He chokes.

The red-head merely smiles back at that, and sets a small pouch of handmade candy corn on the ex-smiley’s lap. “Here, I got this for you.”

            Kevin bats his eyes owlishly at that, looking a bit sleep deprived, but not enough for cause of concern, and glances down at the treats.

            “O...oh? Is this for last night?”

            Earl chuckles at the idea. “No, it’s just a treat.”

            “A...treat?”

            “I always bring treats on the harvest festival.” He chuckles. “To the good boys.”

            “Good?” He presses hopefully.

            “Yes, Good.”

            He blushes, looking down bashfully at the little gift.

            “Who else get presents?”

            “The others have all been pretty well-behaved lately. So everybody.”

            “Do they get the same thing as me?”

            “Carlos gets honeyed pecans, and Cecil always wants apple butter from the harvest, so not quite. But I’m sure they’d share if _you_ did.”

            Kevin nods happily at that, and gingerly pockets the candy, for future bartering.

***

            Erika brings out some of their best autumn spice liquor for the evening’s festivities, and in preparation for the night, even brings out a rare plate of Josie’s Apple Rhubarb crumbles to sell.

            With the evening rush of jolly, half-frozen clients, everybody is busy tending to their own responsibilities, and so, it’s hardly even noted until much later that evening that Kevin is having a _less_  than festive time, and though Cecil dressed him up as a pretty, if not somewhat baffling, wolf with a red hood, it doesn’t appear as if he’s done much else in the name of the festival besides the costume.

            Between clients, he glances wistfully out the door, and finally, Earl, dressed in a peacock beaded pea coat and masquerade mask which Marcus _insisted_ he wear, settles beside him.

            “Not gonna go to the festival?” He asks.

            Kevin twitches.

            “I have clients.” He mumbles absently, resting his chin on the back of the couch with a sigh.

            “Really? How many have you already seen tonight?”

            His body tenses a bit reflexively, like it always does when he thinks he’s being tested and he swallows.

            “J...just five.”

            “Five?!” Earl coughs in surprise. “What for?!”

            Kevin flinches.

            “I...I guess I’m not as popular as I used to be...I’ll keep working.”

            It takes Earl a moment to remember that Kevin’s way of doing things is a bit different from theirs.

            “Five is _more_ than enough, Kevin, I think Cecil’s only seen two partner’s tonight...what is it that you normally do during harvests?”

            His hackles fall a bit, and he blushes.            

            “Everyone...”

            Well that was a bit less tasteful than his usual.

            “O...okay? So you didn’t...uh, go to the festival then?”

“Of course not.”

            “Would you like to go?”

            He doesn’t respond, but Earl takes that as a yes.

            “What if I were to tell you we did things differently here?”

            “Then I’d ask...what’s different?”

-Kevin-

            They get presents _and_ to go to the festival? That seems...nice.

            This is all still a bit sad though...if he was good during the festival in the past, SG would come to pay him a visit...and he liked that.

It would be lovely to get a visit from him today. Things have been rather lonely lately and he wishes he could see S for once.

A letter, sent just a week ago, has his hopes up for the evening. He sighs longingly, and rests his head on the back on the couch again, still watching out the door at the festivities.

            It sure looks fun...but the letter told him that he had to do work like a good boy, not celebrate and give into temptation, if he wanted SG to be waiting for him by the river tonight.

            Carlos, a simple scientist for the festival, snaps him from his thoughts with a gentle tap on his shoulder.

            “Not going out?”

            Kevin flinches, and swallows, turning his gaze away from the door with a head shake. “N..no, I’d like to keep working, if that’s alright.”

            Carlos smiles sweetly. “Of course it is.” The handsome man assures, voice kind. “I was just sent to tell you Josie’s made some crumble for us. It’s fresh in the dining room, you should come get some.”

            Kevin  frowns, conflicted, because it does look good...but he really shouldn’t take a break right now, and risk losing his reward.

            “I...I’m alright. I’ll keep working if that’s okay.”

            “You’re sure working hard tonight.” He chuckles back, kissing the smaller man on the temple. “Sure you don’t want a little break?”

            “I’m sure.” He agrees gently, smiling. “Thank you.”

            Carlos nods.

            “I’ll try to have them save you some, but no promises, okay?”

            “Okay.”

            And then he’s gone.

            Kevin smiles at the nearest waiting customer.

***

            Eleven is an _okay_ tally but in the past that could have been considered an _average_ day, and SG is probably not going to visit for an _average_ day. Twenty was always his harvest total in the past. But he’s already so tired, and there’s not much time left.

            It’s unlikely he’ll be able to fit in any more clients.

            He sniffles unhappily, and rolls over in his bed. He’s sore and sleepy and starving.

What good is a visit with SG if he won’t even be able to enjoy it?

He’s a mess.

They’ll never take him back this way.

He forces himself up unhappily with a snuffle or two.

But the letter had said he missed him, _right_? So...maybe he’ll come anyway? For old time’s sake?

Kevin winces, and rubs his temple.

            Maybe he should get some food...it wouldn’t be beneficial to faint on his way to the river, now would it?

            As he processes this fact, a light plinking sound distracts him from his thoughts, and he glances over at his window.

            Plink!

            Plink!

            Stones.

            His brows knit and he stands stiffly, making his way over, pushing the window open, to the noise and festivities outside.

            “Wha-.”

            He spots Cecil smiling up at him from below, dressed in a warm orange and black, kimono (sent from his mysterious travelling suitor), and a set of elegant rice paper monarch butterfly wings he made himself, fragile and almost transparent in this light.

            “Don’t you want to come out?!” He calls, tossing something round up, which Kevin catches reflexively.

            A paper wrapped ball of popcorn, filled with chocolate candies and gumdrops.

            Kevin eyes it gratefully, but frowns down at Cecil.

            “I’ll be coming out soon...don’t worry.”

            “Will you meet us at the bakery cart? They’re serving cream pies! Not as good as Josie’s but you said you’ve been wanting to try them, right?!”

            He swallows, definitely wanting to, but bites his lip.

            “I...I’ll try to...but I might just go to bed early.”

            “Psh, that’s why you don’t wear yourself out like that, silly.  You must be _loaded_ now, though from all that work, so what better use for that money than to spend it at the festival?!”

            He has a point but...”I...I’ll think about it.”

            “Suit yourself! Try not to work too hard though!” He calls, before flouncing off back down the street.

            Kevin sighs at that and gingerly sits down on his window seat, cradling the treat gently, far too tired to ponder the implications or even the wonder of it as he takes a bite.

            God he’s tired.

***

            “Unfortunately.” Daniel hums gently, petting Kevin’s cheek. “He ran into some unwanted trouble with a drunk patron, and was unable to come out here to see you, as he’d hoped. However, he wants you to know you did a _lovely_  job today and that he misses you dearly.  He’ll be coming very soon to visit you, but tonight, he just wanted me to give you this, okay?”

            Kevin swallows, hopes having been high when he’d spotted the silhouette of a man by the river, and turns his head away a bit, to blink unwanted moisture from his eyes.

            “What is it?”

            “To match your lovely costume.” He murmurs, saccharinely sweet, as he pushes a small picnic basket into his fingers and sets a soft scarf on top, with a bow. Both red.

            Not once does Kevin wonder how SG knew what he was dressed as, as he gently touches the bow.

            Daniel smiles, and plucks it up gingerly.

            “You don’t need those ears.” He chides quietly, reaching up to remove the wolf headband Cecil had given him, and replace it with the bow. “ _He_ can be your wolf tonight, alright? I’ll give it to him.”

            Kevin watches quietly as the other man indifferently hooks the headband into his belt, and smiles again.

            “Have a good evening, Kevin.”

            “You as well.”

-Earl-

            Kevin looks miserable when he returns, despite carrying a basket of what appears to be treats.

            He says nothing as he wanders up the stairs, and presumably, is not open to share these gifts, as he disappears altogether.

            Earl resolves to check up on him in a bit, now that Marcus has gone home for the evening, but decides to give him some space first.

-Kevin-

            The basket contains a nice variety of imports. Jelly candies, candied orange peels, peppermint patties, divinity, truffles, well-dressed gingerbread men, mint chamomile tea, caramels, praline nuts, salted jerky, and even some chocolate dipped cranberries, but no letters.

            He sets them aside without tasting any of it, a bitter taste in his throat, and settles down on the side of his bed, gently shedding the frustrating layers of clothing he has on for the last time this evening, before crawling in under his sheets.

            He guesses he didn’t work hard enough.

***

            The side of his bed dips slightly, stirring him from a fitful sleep as he wearily cracks an eye open, catching sight of someone sitting beside him on the bed.

            S?

            No...

            Earl?

            The redheaded man glances down at him, and gently smiles, petting his head.

            “You never got your pie.”

            Kevin closes his eyes again and swallows, not wanting to cry right now.

            Earl makes no sound, and a soft clinking noise alerts the smaller man to an object being set on the nightstand.

            He cracks an eye open, and glances.

            Pie. Chocolate, from the looks of it...and a piece of the rhubarb crumble too, to go with a shot of spiced rum, and a mug of, presumably, hot chocolate.

            Earl stands back up, his comforting pressure on the bed leaving, as he leans down to plant a kiss to Kevin’s cheek.

            Nothing is said, and he soon leaves without any explanation or question.

            Kevin studies his gifts in a tense silence, for just a moment, before finally getting up and giving them a closer look.

Having no appetite, he merely downs the shot, sharp and hot, before rolling back over in the bed, and closing his eyes again.

 


End file.
